Office romance rules, Song-Song style

When news of K-drama stars Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo’s romance broke, social media went into meltdown over the pair being an item. Within minutes, memes and gifs exploded all over the internet, and #SongSongCouple became the top trending topic on Twitter.

The Descendants of the Sun stars had previously denied dating reports, despite being seen together on multiple occasions after their hit show ended. A spokesperson for the two stated the situation demanded caution, as the matter involved the stars’ families as well. Indeed, discretion is key to successfully navigating an office romance, until you’re certain it is long-term material.

So, if you’re thinking of asking that cute colleague out, or have recently started dating a co-worker – consider the Song-Song approach to successfully navigating workplace romance:

Discuss your relationship status – NOT with your colleagues, but with each other. Because office romances have the potential to go south quickly, it’s important to have a premature discussion about where things stand between you two. Things can get tricky if one of you is looking for something casual, while the other wants to lock down wedding dates before Christmas.

With wedding bells in the future, it’s clear the two actors have always been on the same page. But if that’s not the case for you, be open and honest about your intentions, and if you find that you want different things, cut your losses early and move on.

Keep things private – The Korean stars may have been spotted together before officially announcing their romance, but there was never any PDA to suggest something was going on.

Public displays of affection are for home; keep your hands off each other at the workplace, or even while hanging around near the office premises during work hours. Also, avoid using company communication channels including emails, internal chat, Whatsapp, and Slack to exchange sweet nothings.

Don’t alienate your colleagues – Once you embark on a romance with a colleague, it is only natural for the two of you to spend time together, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of alienating colleagues and friends.

We obviously don’t know the ins and outs of the Songs’ relationship, but in past interviews, Song Joong Ki talked extensively about including and engaging with every cast and crew member during filming. Striking a balance between your new love and your old social life can also keep your relationship under wraps. Tongues will start wagging if people notice you both are on the same schedule.

Come clean when it’s time – If things are getting serious, it’s time to let the cat out of the bag. You don’t have to let the whole office know, but consider talking to your boss and teammates.

Like the two actors in question, keep the revelation brief and straightforward. While there’s no need to go into details about your dating history, address the important questions, especially with your boss. It is important to assure him or her that this new development won’t impact your productivity and work ethic.